About the author: Anna Katharine Green (1846 – 1935) was an American poet and novelist. She was one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and distinguished herself by writing well plotted, legally accurate stories. Green has been called "the mother of the detective novel". The Leavenworth Case is frequently cited as the first mystery written by an American woman, although The Dead Letter by Seeley Regester was published earlier (1866). (excerpt from wikepedia)
Major characters:
- Ebenezer Gryce, police detective
- Q, police operative
- Everett Raymond, attorney and our narrator*
- Horatio Leavenworth, the victim
- Miss Mary Leavenworth, Horatio's niece and heiress
- Miss Eleanore Leavenworth, Horatio's niece (Mary's cousin)
- James Trueman Harwell, Horatio's secretary
- Katherine 'Kate" Malone, cook
- Molly O'Flanagan, upstairs maid
- Hannah Chester, ladies' maid
- Henry Clavering, a.k.a. Le Roy Robbins
- Amy Belden, a.k.a. Mamma Hubbard
Locale: New York City and environs
Synopsis: Junior attorney Everett Raymond (our narrator) is approached by James Trueman Harwell, private secretary to millionaire Horatio Leavenworth. Raymond's firm of lawyers represented Leavenworth. Raymond is asked to assist the police by detective Ebenezer Gryce, whose bout with rheumatism has left him lame and unable to walk easily.
Leavenworth has been found shot in a locked room of his mansion - the key missing. Initial investigation showed that the house itself was also locked tight, limiting the field of suspects to the family (consisting only of his two nieces, Mary Leavenworth and Eleanore Leavenworth), and employees/servants. The only potential witness, maid Hannah Chester, has gone missing.
It is quickly determined that Leavenworth was in the process of making a new will, and his extant will specified Mary as his sole legatee, while Eleanore is cut off with nothing. This was known, and led to the enmity between the two. Raymond is developing an affection for Mary, and it is learned that Horatio kept a pistol; and that Eleanore had learned how to use it. Eleanore is also found in possession of the key to the death room.
A suave stranger, Henry Clavering, appears on the scene and seems to be known by both Mary and Eleanore. He hints to Raymond that he has been married - perhaps to one of the nieces. The search for marriage evidence and the missing Hannah leads Raymond to another town, to the home of Amy Belden; known for taking in strangers in need.
Review:
Once I delved into the wordy, flowery style of explaining every little thing in great detail, I found there is a great detective story beneath. The two prime suspects are Mary and Eleanore - and each has a great motive. Mary, because she is his sole heiress; and Eleanore, as revenge for that fact. As the story progresses, the apparent guilt continually flip flops between them; and I followed right along with that plan.
It was fun to read of Mary and Eleanore's perfect manners and expressed love for each other, while all the time shooting eye-daggers at each other.
The denouément scene is staged by Gryce in an effective bit of theatre, and produces the desired result of the murderer confessing.
The sentences and paragraphs are extremely long (yet perfectly constructed), and a reader could get the entire story in short order by only reading the first sentence of each paragraph; as it explicity sums up the remainder to follow. I must admit I did that a few times!
*This story is told in first person by attorney Everett Raymond, but the reader should be aware it shifts to first-person narration by two others without any warning. Chapter XXXII, Mrs. Belden's Narrative, is told by Amy Belden - in which she refers to herself as 'Mamma Hubbard'. Chapter XXXVIII, A Full Confession, is told by the murderer.
Also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.
Most of my reading is conventional books - but I do read some older authors which are readily available on Kindle. Anna Katherine Green, Carolyn Wells, Edgar Wallace, Mary Roberts Rinehart, and those of that era are available in bulk very cheaply in the 'Megapack' bundles. Search Amazon Kindle bookstore for mystery megapack, detective megapack or author name + megapack (try this search) and you will be surprised what turns up for either 99 cents or $1.99.
One aspect I am enjoying while reading older mysteries on the Kindle is the immediate dictionary access. I came across one character whose occupation was 'amanuensis' - What? touching the word pulled up the definition of a literary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts. Then I came to 'lugubrious' (one of Erle Stanley Gardner's favorite terms to describe Paul Drake) and found it means looking or sounding sad and dismal.
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